Midnight,-musical and splendid,-
And the Old Year’s life is ended,-
And the New, “born in the purple,” babe yet crowned, among us dwells;
While Creation’s welcome swells,-
Starlight all the heavens pervading,
And the whole world serenading
Him, at birth, with all its bells!
Round the cradle of the tender
Flows the music, shines the splendor;
It is early yet for counsel,-but bethink how Hermes gave,-
(While the Myths were bright and brave),-
Thwarted Phoebus no small battle,
Seeking back his lifted cattle,-
Hour-old Hermes, in his cave!
New Year, if thy youth should blind us
Thy swift feet, perchance, may find us
Sleeping in the dark,-unguarded,-as the sun-god’s herds were found!
Lest, unready, on his round
We be hurried,-World, take warning
That already it is morning
And a giant is unbound!
Idle-handed yet, but willing,-
Let us ponder ere the filling
Of his empty eager fingers with our heedless hot behest.
Be our failures frank-confessed,-
‘Mid the gush of gladsome greeting
Requiem in our hearts repeating
For the years that died unblest.
How they came to us,-so precious!-
How abode with us,-so gracious!-
Blindly doing all our bidding; stronger, swifter than we thought.
Like the sprites by magic brought;
Shaping dream to action for us;
Till we stood,-beset with sorrows,-
Wondering what ourselves had wrought!
Ere the tightening of the tether
Bind THIS YEAR and us together,
Let us pause awhile and ponder,-“Whither tend we side by side,-
He who gallops,-we who guide?-
Once we start,-like lost LENORE,
Sung in B
(Mary Hannay Foott)
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